Dr. Vanessa Drake
Born Vanessa Drake (and also known as Doc), 2032 October 31st in Seattle. Mother to Alexander Drake. Vanessa was raised exclusively by her aunt Catherine till the age of 17, when she found herself running the shadows as an accomplished moon maiden shaman known as “Vandal” for approximately five years. Vandal was allegedly part of a Shadowrunner team that destroyed a hidden insect hive located in the Seattle metroplex. She later retired from running to inherit a fortune from her deceased father, David Osborne Drake, that would pay for a college abroad. She was educated in Cologne Germany and funneled into Seader Krupp as a upstart geneticist dealing with age reversal and cyberlimb adjustment therapy. Her interests later turned to her mother; Ghenna Drake's research (whom was murdered during Vanessa's work at Krupp), dealing with HMHVV and it's affects on the human metatype. She later created the drug “Vanitol”, in 68, which has been credited for annihilating the chance of feral occurrences in ghouls. Dr. Vanessa Drake continues to run her mother's research facility, which Vanessa places effort into her mother's past projects, even under the threat of assassination. She calls her main research office “Always Searching” (now "Rosetta") and maintains a heavily secured presence overseen by a former Lonestar Lieutenant, Vane Anders. She also has an adopted daughter,Jordy Hollows (25), whom is a recovering vampiric pawn with a strong aptitude with coding software and current CEO of Rosetta upon Vanessa's absence from her personal corporate affairs. Her personal pilot is a former UCAS Senior Airman, Black Mason (also known as Mason). Currently Vanessa has placed herself in the middle of Zan, Rune, Sofia, Teucer, Nive, and T-Rex's predicaments. Vanessa has bought Zan from the Yakuza for 450,000 neuyen and has dedicated resources into finding out the location of the Golden Elixir Triad boss, Mr. Qi, whom has allegedly left for the China region leaving the Golden Elixir in Seattle in a precarious situation against the Yakuza and Mafia. However Vanessa's days as an medical intern in SK left her indebited to the great dragon Lofwyr when she studied the dragon's medical records unknowing that such an action was highly considered treasonous. She is currently working with X-10's ghoul initiative to pay back her debt of knowing too much about the great dragon than she should or otherwise face SK's blacklist. This forced her to leave Jordy Hollows in charge of her personal corporate ambitions. First meeting Zan, Rune, Sofia, Teucer, and T-Rex met Dr. Vanessa Drake during their search for Mr. Qi's armor artifacts (the armor plot). A data chip had been discovered off a Golden Elixir Triad Lt. Vo, which had scrambled the brains of the first Mafia hacker ordered to crack the chip. A copy of the chip was made and given to Teucer. After an intensive non-VR decryption process, the chip uncovered “Always Searching” as a location of one of the pieces of armor. The group ended up casing the office after Teucer got a job interview for a security position. During his interview Always Searching was attacked by a mercenary outfit, Blackwater (no relation), forcing the others into action, saving Jordy Hollows and all the rest of Always Searching. Vanessa ended up easily giving them the artifact she had received, which were a set of golden fangs, a piece of an armor set, given to her by an unknown client as a gift for Vanessa's help on a previous patient. After the First Meeting Since the first meeting, Dr. Vanessa Drake, has remained a very close friend of the group, even inviting them over to her Snohomish retreat for Thanksgiving and an Albert Schnauss concert, both where Shedim we discovered and destroyed. Vanessa has dedicated resources into finding the location of Mr. Qi, fearing he may try for the armor again when the group will take it back to China. Buying Zan from the Yakuza has guaranteed his loyalty to her, but she doesn't keep a leash on him (at least not a short one). She has also donated various pieces of equipment, including matching flame resistant armor when hearing the group may go up against Treatment in trying to find the other Shedim. Relations Dr. Vanessa Drake has become a very close friend of Sofia and has even given her a matching emerald ring (also a foci) as a symbol of friendship and the two very often talk to each other over the comm. Rune later got a “friendship” ring the day after the Schnauss concert. She is currently busy with her research and helping the group on various initiatives. Vanessa has taken an interest in making a personal connection with each of the group, but tries her best to still remain professionally distant, perhaps to keep her own emotions reigned in about them all. T-Rex proving to be the more resistant, perhaps wondering about ulterior motives, which she seems to understand this resistance, but much of this concern was elevated when she learned how T-Rex and Nive ended up using her bath house on thanksgiving. Never the less, she has treated each member with the utmost respect and has even hinted at considering them part of her family. She has offered to open up her genetic lab to the group, offering to map genomes, and possibly install gene-tech for those interested. However, her lack of a full medical staff would more likely hinder gene-tech use, causing more time needed for successful biological incorporation and treatment. Zan Zan has considered himself Vanessa's new ward in light of her buying him from the Yakuza. She has given Zan a very long leash, as she trusts the former Yakuza hitman, but Zan has promised to help her when he can. She researched Zan's "seer" condition and discovered that Zan had infact awakened, perhaps at the Rubicon during the engagement with the armor. It is still unclear how Zan is able to see what shedim see, but feels confidant that so far the Shedim have not been able to use Zan's attribute against him, other than to show him soul destroying visages of carnage, but nothing indicating they can see what Zan sees... though Zan's condition requires further study. Selma Levine After learning that the group was investigating the Voodoo Cartels, Vanessa took it upon herself to get more familiar with the Cool Sun by seeking out and talking with Selma Levine over the matrix (a move she informed no one of), she had already known her as an acquaintance through the similiar social circles that they inhabited. Her persistance paid off in the form of a few dates where she was able to gain the woman's trust. However the relationship was halted after the murder of Selma Levine's sister at the hands of Smoke. This incident (on December 18th 2070) forced Vanessa to come to her aid and after a gun fight in the streets of Tacoma to protect Selma, the group learned that indeed a shedim had taken over the head of Cool Sun. Though Vanessa had nothing to do with the murder of Selma's sister, the aftermath of such an ordeal has forced Selma to reconsider her life in it's entirety. Holidays of 2070 Dr. Vanessa Drake has attended every major holiday with the group since meeting them in early November of 2070 and in doing so has bonded with the group immensely, becoming one of the closest friends to the group outside of the runner organization. Her present for Yule was an enormous group picture of them all in their Yule day pajamas (a present she has considered her favorite), which she has placed on her bedroom wall. She also attended New Years Eve with the group cementing her friendship further with Sofia and the rest. The "Triangle" or the "Seekers" Vanessa, Rune, and Sofia have agreed to come together to form a magical group or small coven in order to aid each other in initiation, ritual, and general advancement in awakened knowledge. Currently they are forming a magical link between the three in order to maintain a metaplanar anchor to one another. They are also trying to determine a name for their group, so far "the seekers" or "triad" or triangle" has had the most success for an actual name. However they have not settled on one and are having great difficulty in actually deciding on other options. "Triangle Seekers" Strictures What the three have decided on are the strictures of the group. These strictures are rules that they must obey in order to maintain clear ritual links to one another. Having them makes it eaiser for them to create their group and easier for possible future members to join. They also give form to the three's idenity and interactions with one another. Attendance They must come together to meet and take part in ritual on the solstices and equinoxes. Though they are not hindered from coming together to engage in such during other times, but the mandatory meeting ensures that at least four times out of the year that they will. Exclusive Membership They are not allowed to join other magic groups. Fraternity They must help each other upon request, no questions asked. Material Link The three are planning to set aside physical material of each in a safe place. This would allow easy ritual magic to be used against any of the members. This is considered a sign of trust. Though not an actual material link (in most cases) each member of the three has a physical photograph which contains the other two together to help provide general inspiration and a memento in rememberance. Oath They must not break the strictures. Doing so will hinder them twice as much. Known History Dr. Vanessa Drake remains an enigma to the group, though has always been extremely helpful. There is little known about her actual background, but when asked she has always answered questions. It is known that she was once a former Shadowrunner after her aunt's death. She gained a reputation as an accomplished Moon Maiden shaman under the handle “Vandal.” Vandal attempted to track down her aunt's killers, but failed. She stayed in the shadows and helped to take down a Universal Brotherhood insect hive in Seattle in '54. Her mother discovered her when she achieved fame in the shadows and was able to contact her telling her that her deceased father, David, had left Vanessa a fortune in order for her to continue her education. Vandal retired and left the UCAS to study abroad in Germany, where she became a geneticist (she had been tailored for a career in science since childhood). She worked in the upper echelons of Seader Krupp research division, advancing numerous genetic initiatives. Her departure from Krupp is marked with the assassination of her mother, Ghenna Drake. Dr. Vanessa Drake left Germany and headed back to Seattle to continue her mother's work. Since then many in the scientific community took the opportunity to trash her name as an eccentric scientific mystic who relies heavily upon pseudo science and has an controversial personal life of orgies, drugs, and various acts of debauchery. Vanessa has denied most, but her reputation has suffered since her leaving SK. Vanessa has launched numerous PR initiatives to repair her reputation in order to help her negotiations for Vanitol, the wonder drug for non-feral occurrences in ghouls and to help her gain access to research facilities and equipment across the globe. Always Searching and Vanitol Always Searching is a genetic research organization headquartered in Seattle, the main office is located downtown. AS's research is completely dedicated to the study of HMHVV and the political lobbying of HMHVV rights in the UCAS government and advancement of HMHVV rights abroad. AS's matrix node is a nexus of streams relating to all news HMHVV and promotes success stories of people gaining rights in nations across the world. Always Searchin begins When Dr. Drake took over Always Searching, she began by using money she had to find her mother's killers. Always Searching was meant for the determination for finding the assassins and bringing them to justice. However the killers were never found, the same fate that settled in on Vanessa after her aunt died (not finding the killers) would come back to haunt her. After the deaths of information gatherers she had hired, she got little closer to finding the truth. What she did learn was that Catherine and Ghenna were killed by the same group, simply known as "Ordos." However, further information pertaining to Ordos have yeilded no fruit, but cropses (the ripest of them all). After soul searching, Dr. Drake dropped the hunt to focus back on her mother's life rather than her death. Keeping the name, Always Searching, she moved efforts to the scientific and political spheres, rolling up her sleeves for the enormous task ahead of her. Politics Dr. Drake's aim has not just been placing bodies in the halls of corporations and government to lobby for HMHVV rights, but to also educate and inform the public (and private) about the nature of HMHVV. She had been credited for helping advance the conversation about HMHVV in UCAS political discourse. She has also been on trideo shows and 'trix casts as a talking head to help advance her message of HMHVV acceptance. She has made friends with numerous news outlets in providing expert opinions. Vanitol AS's wonder drug “Vanitol” has catapulted it into the upper echelons of the HMHVV scientific research community, where Dr. Vanessa Drake is considered an expert. Vanitol was made famous after her HMHVV research clinics opened up in '68 in ghoul laden areas of Seattle, where the drug was freely dispensed on newly infected Ghouls. The drug was considered a resounding success, but much of her success was played down by attempted discrediting from former SK rivals. The HMHVV facilities in the Barrens have since closed, but the drug is still dispensed by some street clinics and her main office in Seattle. Vanitol (with no corporate sponsor) is still made in limited quanities in facilities in both Hamburg Germany and Detroit UCAS. Ares seems to be the corporation who has made it the closest in buying the drug for mass production. It is currently being shipped in limited quantities to needed areas across the globe. Dr. Vanessa Drake has received no profit for making the drug and she seeks an agreement from any able entity to mass produce the drug without jacking up the price to make it unavailable to those whom need it most. Awakened Life Vanessa claims to be of the Wiccan tradition and follows the mentoring of the Mood Maiden. Her shamanistic tendencies have provided hurdles for her scientific life, but she never mixes spiritual belief with lab work. Nor does she believe that either are mutually exclusive. Vanessa took a liking to Wicca through her aunt, Catherine, whom was a dedicated witch. Her awakening happened the night of the day of her first period and was immediately initiated into womanhood through pagan ritual of her Aunt. Vanessa became a studious awaken and still maintained her studies in genetics. The only time her Wiccan life took precedent over her scientific life was in her first foray into the shadows at age '17. Vanessa does take active part in Gardnerian Wicca, has a detailed book of shadows, is a nudist, and performs all ritual holidays (especially if the moon is out), usually alone. Sometimes for major holidays she joins other covens for rituals by invitation. Vanessa does not hide the fact she is religious for sake of her scientific reputation. She has only been the member of one coven, back in Germany, that she broke ties with when she left for Seattle. She is currently a solo practicing witch, but her dedication has inspired her daughter, Jordy Hollows, to consider herself the same tradition, even though she is not awakened. Rumors Numerous political rumors continue to circulate about Dr. Vanessa Drake, here is a small list. #She owns a spaceship. #She's a nudist. (not denied, has hurt her reputation) #Is part of a cult. #More religious than reasonable. A fanatic Wiccan. #Stolen her mother's research and called it her own. #Is a vampire. #Actively seeks to sleep with a dragon out of a sexual fetish. Age According to public record, Dr. Vanessa Drake, was born in 2032, making her 38. However she physically appears to be around 20. She claims that her new found age is due to her ability to make her own gene therapy vat (a genetic creation aimed at keeping old people young). However she did not intend to physically unage so far back and her remaining scars from her early years have led her to reexamine her capabilities. Her very young appearance has hurt her in public and private arenas, but she has been able to hold her own. Her youthful appearance and nocturnal nature have added to the rumors of her being a vampire, but she denies such rumors as attempted character assassination (not that there is anything wrong with being a vampie, she has very often played up this rumor by dressing up the part) by her counterparts (mainly bitter SK researchers and scientists). Category:Characters Category:Chapter 1 Category:Chapter 2 Category:Chapter 3 Category:X10